Refrigerating apparatus



July 27; 1937. L. T. HUNTER REFRIGERATING Al'fPARATUS Filed Oct. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l ell [01:15 T ffzuz fer,

\y i zfrvzey- July 27, 1937.

L. T. HUNTER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS .Filed Oct. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 27, 1937 PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Louis '1. Hunter, New York, N. I, assignor to Air Induction Ice Bunker Corp., Hoboken, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application October 5, 1936, Serial N0. 104,041

5Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus of the type usedin reducing the temperature of a closed chamber, such as refrigerator railway 5 cars, truck and trailer bodies, meat, vegetable and flower, storage chambers, etc.

More specifically the present invention is directed to refrigerating apparatus of the type sometimes termed ice bunkers wherein a current of air is caused to pass adjacent or through a body of lumps of ice.

Heretofore, in most instances, apparatus of this general class was constructed as a stationary and permanent unit in the refrigerating chaml ber, such as a railway car. Manifestly at times,

such as due to climatic conditions, or the character of merchandise contained in the chamber, it is not necessary to operate the apparatus. Because of the fixed mounting of such apparatus in vehicular equipment, it can be readily appreciated that the investment in such apparatus is unnecessarily large.

The present invention contemplates the provision of improved apparatus of this character which is constructed as a portable unit to permit quick and easy installation in or-removal from a refrigerating chamber.

Another feature is to provide improved apparatus which is constructed so that the air, as it is reduced in temperature, creates a partial vacuum which assists in causing movement of a lower strata of air. 7

.A further feature of this invention resides in the provision of novel and efficient means for cooling and circulating air in a closed chamber. Still another feature is to provide improved apparatus of the character indicated, which is constructed to permit quick and easy charging of the ice container, and which may be econom-- o ically manufactured.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

45' apparatus constituting the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a staggered vertical view, part in section and part in elevation, taken as indicated at line 2,'2 on Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the

5o ice bunker" includes a skeleton frame Ill, composed of four upright angle iron corner members ll, connected at their upper ends by angle iron members l2 to form a rectangular frame. Desirably said members I2 are arranged so that one leg extends horizontally and outwardly, as

seen in the drawings. Each pair of end members H, are connected together adjacent the lower ends, by tie members It, having one leg extending horizontally and inwardly, as seen in the drawings.

Removably supported on the tie members I4, is a foraminated receptacle I6 herein shown in the form of a rectangular wire basket for containing lumps of ice, indicated at II. The wire panels constituting the basket may be reinforced and 10 connected together in any suitable manner, such as shown, by angle iron members 18 at the corners. The bottom of the basket is provided with two supporting members l9, at each edge, extending beyond the ends of the basket and 15 adapted to rest upon the horizontal legs of the tie members ll of the frame. Said basket, desirably is substantially smaller than the frame It, so as to be disposed in spaced relation thereto for a purpose hereinafter described.

Removably mounted in the frame In, and surrounding said basket It, in spaced apart relation thereto, is a tubular bafile wall 20, preferably of sheet metal, having an outwardly extending flange 2|, at its upper edge for supporting en- 25 gagement upon the horizontal leg of frame members i2. By virtue of this arrangement there is provided a continuous passage around the ice containing basket It. The lower edge of the baflie wall 20, terminates a substantial distance 30 above the bottom of the basket to facilitate free discharge of the cooled air currents adjacent the floor, indicated at 23, of the chamber.

Mounted below the ice basket l6, and rigidly secured to the upright frame member II, is a 5 drip pan 2!, for accumulating the wateras the ice melts. The bottom of the pan is sloped in four directions as seen in the drawings, for iiirecting the water toward the center of the pan for discharging it through the drain spout 25, which preferably extends through an. aperture in the floor 23. By virtue of this construction practically all the water resulting from melting Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the refrigerating of theice, is removed from the chamber, and there is practically no possibility for condensation on the frame or the bailie wall, and thus the floor will not become soiledwith water or moisture.

Mounted above the frame l0, over the ice basket I6, is a unitary electrically driven exhaust fan 26 having an intake duct 21 provided with a fan shaped mouth 28-. Said duct 21 is secured at its outer end to the top 29, of the chamber, for insuring the removal of the warmest strata of air and causing a reduction of its temperature to effect cooling of the chamber. Said fan is provided with a discharge duct 30*, extending downwardly and having a fan shaped mouth 3| disposed between the ice basket l6, and the baflle wall 20, as seen in Fig. 2 so as to direct the warm air currents in a downwardly direction adjacent and into contact with the ice H. The path of travel of the cooled air currents is indicated by arrows in Fig. 2, and it will be seen that the air may freely pass through the interstices of the lumps of ice, adjacent the lower portion of the basket or beneath the basket It, for discharging adjacent the floor 23. Because the battle wall 20 terminates a substantial distance above the bottom of the basket the movement of cooled air is facilitated. Moreover, as the air is cooled it creates a partial vacuum, which induces the warm air to flow downwardly through the passage between the ice basket IB and the baflle wall and become cooled, thereby causing movement of the lower strata of air adjacent the floor, to efficiently and expeditiously reduce the temperature and cause circulation of the air in the chamber.

For purpose of illustration the fan 26 is shown carried by a bracket 26a, detachably connected to the vertical wall 33 of the chamber, by screws 26b, and it is to be understood that if desired it Y may be mounted on the frame It) in any convenlent manner. The fan may be connected to any suitable source of electrical current, such as the conventional electrical circuit of a train, the conventional electrical circuit of a building, or a storage battery.

The entire unit desirably is disposed in close proximity to the wall 33, and to reduce the possibility of creating air pockets and upward movement of air currents in the area between the wall andthe-unit, I employ a removable baiile plate, 201), inserted between the back wall of the baffle 20, and the basket I6, as seen in Fig. 2, supported on the angle frame tie member ll. The plateilb thus assists in directing the cooled air current in a direction away from the wall 33. When the unit is positioned with an end adjacent the wall, a smaller size removable baifle plate is inserted in a manner similar to that above described.

The construction herein disclosed is relatively simple and is capable of being cheaply manufactured and because of its light weight may be quickly and easily installed in or removed from a refrigerating chamber. Also, the construction and arrangement is such as to permit easy charging of the ice basket when necessary.

Although I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is capable of modification and rearrangement without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the particular form herein disclosed, except as I may be so limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a refrigerator chamber, a mobile ice bunker for cooling said chamber, comprising a frame, an ice containing foraminated receptacle carried on said frame in spaced relation to the floor, a baiile wall carried on said frame and surrounding the receptacle in spaced apart relation thereto, and a fan for exhausting the air from the upper portion of the chamber having an inlet duct with its intake opening positioned adjacent the upper portion of said chamher and having a duct for discharging the air currents downwardly between the receptacle and the baflle wall for cooling the air and discharging it adjacent the bottom of the chamber.

2. In combination with arefrigerator chamber, a mobile ice bunker for cooling said chamber, comprising a frame, an ice containing foraminated receptacle carried on said frame in spaced relation to the floor, a bailie wall carried .on said frame and surrounding the receptacle in spaced apart relation thereto and terminating a substantial distance above the bottom of the receptacle, and a fan for exhausting the air from the upper portion of the chamber having an inlet duct with its intake opening positioned above said ice bunker, and having a duct for discharging the air currents downwardly between the receptacle and the baffle wall for cooling the air and discharging it adjacent the bottom of the chamber.

3. In combination with a refrigerator chamber, a mobile ice bunker for cooling said chamber, comprising a frame, an ice containing foraminated receptacle carried on said frame in spaced relation to the floor, a baflle wall carried on said frame and surrounding the receptacle in spaced apart relation thereto, a drain pan carried on said frame below said receptacle, and a fan for exhausting the air from the upper portion of the chamber having an inlet duct with its intake opening positioned adjacent the upper portion of said chamber, and having a duct for discharging the air currents downwardly between the receptacle and the baflie wall for cooling the air and discharging it adjacent the bottom of the chamber.

4. A portable ice bunker for a refrigerator chamber, comprising a frame, an ice containing foraminated receptacle carried on said frame in spaced apart relation to the floor, a baille wall carried by said frame and surrounding the receptacle in spaced apart relation thereto, and an exhaust fan mounted above said receptacle and having an inlet duct with its mouth positioned above said frame and adapted to remove air from the upper portion of the chamber and a discharge duct positioned for discharging the air downwardly between the name wall and the receptacle for cooling the air and discharging it adjacent the bottom of the chamber.

5. A portable ice bunker for a refrigerator chamber, comprising a frame, an ice containing foraminated receptacle carried on said frame in spaced apart relation to the floor, a baflle wall carried by said frame and surrounding the rechamber and a discharge duct positioned for discharging the air downwardly between the baifle wall and the receptacle for cooling the air and discharging it adjacent the bottom of the chamber.

, LOUIS 'r. HUNTER? 

